Compact waveguide power divider with multiple isolated outputs

Abstract

A waveguide power divider (10) for splitting electromagnetic microwave power and directionally coupling the divided power includes an input waveguide (21) and reduced height output waveguides (23) interconnected by axial slots (22) and matched loads (25) and (26) positioned at the unused ends of input and output guides (21) and (23) respectively. The axial slots are of a length such that the wave in the input waveguide (21) is directionally coupled to the output waveguides (23). The widths of input guide (21) and output guides (23) are equal and the width of axial slots (22) is one half of the width of the input guide (21).

The embodiments of this invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A device for splitting electromagnetic wave power, propagating in an electromagnetic wave transmission system, comprising: (a) a length of input waveguide of rectangular cross-section said input waveguide having a closed end and an open end; wherein the closed end of the input waveguide is positioned in the direction of electromagnetic wave propagation;   (b) a plurality of output waveguides of rectangular cross-section each having an open end and a closed end, the height of each of said output waveguides being less than the height of said input waveguide, the width of each of said output waveguides being equal to the width of said input waveguide, the closed end of said output waveguides positioned in the direction opposite of the direction of electromagnetic wave propagation, and said output waveguides being successively stacked atop of each other such that an upper output waveguide and an adjacent lower output waveguide have a common top wall there between;   (c) slots of rectangular cross-section for intercommunicating said output waveguides to said input waveguide through a side wall of said input waveguide, the slots being of a length in the direction of electromagnetic wave propagation such that the output waveguides are directionally coupled to the input waveguide.   
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1 wherein the length of said input waveguide and said slots is parallel to the length of said output waveguides. 
     
     
       3. The device of claim 2 wherein the number of intercommunicating slots is equal to the number of output waveguides. 
     
     
       4. The device of claim 3 wherein a matched load is positioned at the closed end of said input waveguide and wherein a matched load is positioned at the closed end of each said output waveguides. 
     
     
       5. The device of claim 4 wherein the width of the intercommunicating slots is one half of the width of the input waveguide. 
     
     
       6. The device of claim 5 wherein the height of the intercommunicating slots is tapered at the ends of said intercommunicating slots. 
     
     
       7. The device of claim 6 wherein the electromagnetic wave power is electromagnetic microwave power. 
     
     
       8. The device of claim 7 wherein there are four output waveguides.